Morning Show Fun

Injuries have been reported across the country this week of people tossing pots and pans of boiling water into the air to see if it will freeze. Well, there’s nothing wrong with a little family science experiment as long as you remember one thing — it’s supposed to be done outside, genius!

Are You A Distracted Walker?

Do you play on Facebook or text while walking? You’re not alone… Pew Research Center found that about half of 18-24 year-olds have bumped into something or someone while “distracted walking,” and 70-percent of the same age group say they’ve been bumped into by someone else. The age group least-likely to engaged in “distracted walking” or become victims to it were those age 65 and up. Thirty-six-percent of those between the ages of 25 and 34 said they’ve bumped into someone or something, and about half said they’ve been bumped into. Fortunately, most accidents are just embarrassing and noone gets hurt. We’ve heard stories about people hurting themselves or removing themselves from the gene pool by walking in front of trucks or falling down manholes.

Man Killed By Atomic Wedgie

A man was arrested after his stepfather died from an “atomic wedgie.” Brad Davis told investigators that he went to his father’s residence and his stepfather “jumped him.” Denver Lee St. Clair was knocked unconscious and asphyxiated by his underwear. Murder charges are expected to be filed. (Gawker)

No Hall of Fame for Bonds, Clemens Again — Do They Deserve to Be In?

Baseball greats Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were passed over for the Hall of Fame yesterday (January 8th) for the second year in a row by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America because of the belief that they used performance-enhancing drugs. But The Week‘s Jon Terbush argues that they should be in, writing, “Yes, both almost certainly cheated . . . But they still absolutely deserve to be in the Hall.” Terbush says that neither Bonds or Clemens are borderline candidates, so that even if they’d never juiced — a charge that’s never been proven — they’d still be among the game’s greats. He also says that players have been taking substances to try to improve their performance since baseball began, including rampant use of amphetamines — speed — before the steroid era, with even Hank Aaron having admitted to taking them. Terbush writes, “In other words, the Hall is already stocked with esoteric PED users.” He concludes that Clemens and Bonds may eventually be voted in, but, quote, “not before a little more wailing and self-congratulatory back-patting from the Hall’s sanctimonious defenders.”

Record Percentage of Americans Say They’re Independents

A record-high percentage of Americans don’t want to be identified with either political party, with a new Gallup poll finding 42 percent of Americans calling themselves independents, the highest number since Gallup started asking the question in their phone surveys 25 years ago. Republican identification has fallen to 25 percent, the lowest it’s been over that same time period, while Democratic identification, at 31 percent, is the same as it’s been for the last four years, but down from a high of 36 percent in 2008. When pushed, 16 percent who initially said they are independent actually lean Democratic, and an equal 16 percent lean toward Republicans. That leads to an overall of 47 percent of Americans who are either Democrats or lean Democratic and 41 percent who are either Republicans or lean Republican, a partisan edge Democrats have held in all but three years since Gallup began asking the “partisan lean” question in 1991.